Navajo Nation Population 2010

Families Without Running Water

Poverty Rate for Children

PHOTO STORY

Darlene Arviso delivers 4000 gallons of clean water to as many families in Smith lake as she can. She works almost 14 hours a day, five days a week - and she loves her job.

The Navajo Nation is the size of West Virginia. It’s home to 173,000 people, and 38% of its members are “severely poor.” Child poverty rates are double the national average (Census 2010).

Every morning, Darlene spends an hour filling the water truck at St. Bonaventure Indian Mission. Hundreds of Smith Lake families can’t get enough clean water, because Darlene’s truck is the only clean water source in a 70 mile radius.

Darlene brings so much joy with her. Children run after her truck, which is always full of extra gifts like lamp oil, batteries or soap.

Lindsey Johnson left her adoptive home in Idaho (with running water!) at 23 to care for her ailing mother on the reservation. Today, her grandchildren don’t have a shower at home. Fortunately many schools on the reservation offer “shower days” for students.

Homes like the Johnson’s often consist of children and the elderly, making water collection a major chore. Many adults leave the reservation to take jobs in cities like Albuquerque.

This man keeps his water in barrels by his outhouse. Water and sanitation always go hand in hand. About 40% of Navajo don’t have a sink or a toilet at home.

Many elders in Smith Lake live alone. They rely on Darlene’s water truck for every drop they drink. Since they cannot collect water for themselves, service disruptions due to weather or mechanical failure can pose a big danger.

An entire family’s water supply for a month is stored in these buckets outside their Hogan (a traditional Navajo home). Not exactly the most efficient, secure way to keep clean water, but it’s the only option for most.

When the water truck arrives, every bucket, cup and bowl is placed outside to hold clean water.

A woman imagines her future home. Right now Darlene delivers water to a small shack she constructed out of found supplies. St. Bonaventure is helping her build a new Hogan, and the Navajo Water Project will build a small tower full of clean, safe water to run her sink and toilet.

1200 gallon cisterns bring water from barrels and buckets on the front porch, to sinks and showers inside. Cisterns hold more water more safely and are buried outside to keep them from freezing in the cold winter.

The Benson family welcomed us into their home to build the first cistern system prototype. Now they have running water, a sink and a shower.

Home water systems require an investment of time and money by the client family during installation. Clients are trained how to troubleshoot and repair systems and are left with spare parts.

THE PROJECT

The Navajo Water Project is a community-managed utility alternative that brings hot and cold running water to homes without access to water or sewer lines.

It's the first system of its kind in the United States.

NEW WELLS

We develop new water sources where water will be pumped, treated and stored. We then deliver that clean water to people's homes by truck. We'll also provide free water access to local families right from the wells. Right now, their closest source of safe water can be up to 100 miles round-trip .

NEW ROUTES

We operate two water trucks that deliver water to hundreds of families across 7 Chapters on the Navajo Nation, five days a week. Before the project began, our average client was getting 1-7 gallons of water a day. Now, Darlene 'The Water Lady' and our other drivers deliver more than 30.

HOME WATER SYSTEMS

Every week, we install 2-3 'Home Water Systems' that bring hot and cold running water into client homes. The water we deliver is safely stored in 1200 gallon tanks buried underground and pumped into the home. In homes without electricity, we also install a solar power system that runs the pump and lights inside. We install 2-3 systems a week.

OWNERSHIP

Like every DIGDEEP project, this program is community-led. Community members and local leaders advise the project through quarterly meetings of The Water Council. Homeowners contribute to their systems and are trained to maintain them. The community will manage the finished project in partnership with our partner, St. Bonaventure Mission.

THE LOCATION

ABOUT OUR PARTNER

Founded in 1974, St. Bonaventure Indian Mission provides tuition-free schooling and essential services to thousands of Navajo (Diné) around Thoreau, New Mexico. The 501(c)3 charity is a key local employer and almost completely native run. St. Bonaventure - in partnership with the local community - will fund and maintain water delivery when the project is complete.